Interruptions
by show-me-your-tardis
Summary: No matter how hard they try, Merlin and Arthur just can't get time alone. A small ficlet written for Merthur Party 2013 on Tumblr.


**Interruptions**

A/N [show-me-your-tardis]

**Plot – No matter how hard they try, Merlin and Arthur just can't get time alone. **

Day Four: Arthur and Merlin

A small ficlet written for Merthur Party 2013 on Tumblr. Too many words to be drabble, not enough words to be a fic.

And I know, I know, Gwaine and co. weren't knights when Arthur was Prince but shhhhhhhhhhhhh okay?

ENJOY!

* * *

Merlin burst through the door, steaks of mud across his clothes. Arthur spun around and closed the gap between them in a matter of steps. Merlin smelt like mud with just a hint of lavender. The door swung closed.

Arthur had been waiting all morning for Merlin to appear. He had waited so long he had even dressed himself.

"Where the hell were you?" Arthur whispered, curling a strand of Merlin's hair between his fingers.

"Gaius needed ingredients for a-" Merlin was cut off by Arthur's lips on his.

It was hardly their first kiss, but it was something Arthur was sure he'd never get used to. The way Merlin's mouth fit against his; how soft and warm his lips were; the small sigh Merlin let out everytime their lips met. It was enough to make his knees weak, a sudden need for more contact growled inside him.

He pushed Merlin back against the wall, feeling his small frame against his own. Merlin's hands ghosted down his spine, causing Arthur to shiver, they stopped when they reached his lower back. Arthur trailed his hands up into Merlin's hair. He gripped a handful of black hair and a moan escaped Merlin's lips.

Arthur pulled his lips away from Merlin's and kissed a path along his jaw, behind his ear, down his neck. Another moan came from Merlin as Arthur gently bit his skin. Merlin's hands were under Arthur's shirt now. With every kiss Arthur placed, Merlin moved Arthur's shirt higher, until it was being pulled over his head forcing him to stop his gentle kissing.

The shirt was dropped to the floor, at their feet. Just as Merlin's hands roamed across Arthur's muscled chest, there was a loud knock at the door.

Arthur and Merlin leapt apart, before Arthur could invite the person inside, the door was being opened. Merlin, with messy hair and eyes wide with panic, grabbed Arthur's shirt off the floor and held it expectantly at Arthur. Arthur was too busy staring at the door to react.

Uther stepped in, his boots clicking against the floor.

"Ah Arthur." He said, as though he hadn't expected Arthur to be here.

He trailed off, looking at his shirtless son.

"Er..." He said, gesturing towards Arthur's manservant without really looking at him.

Arthur seemed to snap back to reality and looked over at Merlin. Merlin held the shirt up and pulled it over Arthur's head, his fingers left a trail of fire where they met his skin. Taking a deep breath to prevent himself from leaping onto Merlin, Arthur looked back at Uther.

"I need you and your knights to go on a patrol. There have been numerous reports of bandits and attacks in the forest surrounding our kingdom." Uther explained, still ignoring Merlin's presence.

"Okay, I uh..." Arthur cleared his throat, his voice unusually husky, "I'll go in about an hour or so-"

"No. You'll go now." Uther commanded, then finally looking over at Merlin, he added, "You there. Go prepare Arthur's horse."

When Merlin merely stood glancing at Arthur, Uther shouted, "Now boy! Go on!"

Merlin dashed out of the room like a deer.

Once he was gone, Uther turned back to his son, "Your manservant is a bit... Simple."

Arthur bit his lip to stop himself from replying.

* * *

Arthur picked at the grass absentmindedly. His eyes focused on his friend, currently tending to the fire. He found himself smiling at the raven hair, curled at the nape of his neck. Watching him warm his hands on the flames, smiling at the thoughts in his head.

"Hello? Arthur? Are you listening?" Lancelot laughed, snapping Arthur out of his daydream.

"What?" Arthur asked, forcing his eyes away from Merlin.

"Don't worry your little head, Princess." Gwaine teased, ruffling Arthur's hair.

"Shut up Gwaine." Arthur said, flattening his hair down.

"We were saying, there doesn't seem to be many bandits here." Leon explained.

"Yeah you're..." Arthur trailed off, his eyes wandering over to Merlin again.

Merlin was now walking away from the fire, holding a handful of water skins. He tripped over a small log on the floor and Arthur stifled a laugh.

After Merlin had disappeared into the forest, Arthur jumped up, snatching the water skin from Gwaine's hands.

"I'm going to help Merlin." He said, as he rushed off after Merlin.

"You're going to _what?" _Percival asked incredulously, but Arthur was too far away to hear him.

* * *

"Finally. I thought you hadn't taken the hint." Merlin said as Arthur crept up behind him.

"The knights will get suspicious." Arthur said.

Merlin stood up, leaving the water skins at the edge of the river, and wrapped his arms around Arthur's waist.

"They're knights, they aren't that clever."

"I'm a knight." Arthur said.

"Exactly." Merlin whispered, standing on his tiptoes to kiss Arthur.

Arthur would have replied and called Merlin an idiot or a girl or something, but his lips were too distracting. He pulled Merlin against him and hesitantly trailed his tongue across Merlin's lower lip.

Just as Merlin opened his mouth, a series of shouts had them leaping apart again. Arthur wanted to groan in frustration, how many more times would they be interrupted? But instead, he grapped Merlin's hand and dragged him behind a tree. Using those gestures Merlin found so obscene, he told Merlin to, _stay here, I'm going to investigate. _

Or that's what he thought he had said but as he tiptoed from tree to tree, he felt Merlin's presence behind him. Arthur rolled his eyes, interlocking his fingers with Merlin's when they stopped behind a large rock.

Merlin smiled at him quickly, as the sound of bandits grew louder. Arthur peaked over the top of the rock, still clinging to Merlin's hand, and watched a group of five bandits come into view. They gathered into a small half-circle, backs to Arthur, and began talking about their plans and their recent attacks. It made Arthur's stomach twist in disgust.

Moving back into the shadow of the rock, Arthur attempted to communicate, once again, _stay here. _Merlin nodded enthusiastically, but Arthur knew he had no idea what Arthur was saying. Arthur shook his head slightly, planted a chaste kiss on Merlin's lips, ignored the temptation to kiss Merlin again, and approached the group of bandits, withdrawing his sword.

As he got closer, in his peripheral vision, he saw Merlin peak his head over the top of the rock. Without the slightest hesitation Arthur stabbed the bandit closest to him. Forcing a groan and a choking sound from his throat. Instantly the other four bandits jumped up and withdrew their own weapons. Arthur managed to take down another one before the remaining three were surrounding him.

He swung out his sword at the one carrying an axe and missed. He silently cursed himself and felt a sharp pain in his side, he felt blood, warm on his skin. Choosing not to look at his wound, he swung his sword once more and caught the axe holder on his shoulder. The man bared his teeth and swung for Arthur.

A sharp, stabbing pain ran through Arthur's leg, he cried out and dropped to the ground. The axe glinted in the sun as the man stepped closer.

Suddenly, the axe snapped. The head fell with a crack onto the bandits head and he dropped limply to the floor. Arthur, not giving the past events much thought, looked around and saw the remaining two bandits already knocked out. He must have taken them down without realising.

He forced himself to his feet, ignoring the sharp pain radiating from his calf. Merlin ran over, his hands hooked under Arthur's armpits to hold him up.

"Good thing, I was here to save you, huh?" Arthur asked, panting slightly from the pain.

"Yeah, right." Merlin said, Arthur didn't notice him roll his eyes, "Let me see."

Merlin pulled Arthur's chainmail and shirt away from the cut on his side. It wasn't too deep, luckily, Arthur would be fine. His leg wound was another problem though, Arthur couldn't walk.

Merlin, his hands still under Arthur's arms, lowered him gently to the ground. Arthur groaned slightly. Merlin crouched next to Arthur's leg. His hands were about to pull Arthur's trouser leg up, until Arthur grabbed his hands and pulled him forcefully closer to his head.

"I need to check your wound." Merlin whispered.

"No you don't." Arthur said, stroking two fingers across his cheekbones.

"Arthur." Merlin protested, but Arthur could tell his heart wasn't in it.

He leaned forward slightly and pulled Merlin's face gently towards his. Their lips were inches away from each other when...

"Arthur!" Shouted Leon from the forest.

Arthur sighed, under his breath he muttered, "For goodness sakes."

He was still inches away from Merlin, breathing in the same air. Merlin smiled at him pitifully. He stroked his own finger across Arthur's lower lip, Arthur sighed.

"Over here!" Merlin called, standing up.

* * *

Arthur forced himself to sit up. He was in Gaius' chambers, on one of the sick beds. Gaius was stirring some concoction over the fire.

"Gaius, I'm fine. Can I just go?" Arthur asked, groaning slightly as his side wound ached.

"Merlin has requested you stay here for the night, just in case." Gaius said, pouring the lilac liquid into a glass vial.

"_Merlin _suggested that? Where is he?" Arthur asked, confused.

"He'll be round soon to check on you, I imagine. Now lie down and _don't leave, _I'm going to deliver this potion to a patient." Gaius said, raising one eyebrow at Arthur.

Arthur watched the door close behind the physician. He pushed himself into a standing position and leaning heavily on his sword, walked towards the door. As his hand reached for the handle, the door swung open. Merlin stepped through, a small grin on his face.

"Where do you think you're going?" He scolded.

"I'm fine, it's barely a scratch." Arthur waved his hand dismissively.

Merlin grabbed Arthur's hand and pulled him back towards the sick bed. Pushing Arthur back down he glanced around the room.

Arthur went to stand up again but Merlin placed his hands on his shoulders, keeping him down with unexpected strength.

"Merlin, just let me-"

"Arthur." Merlin interrupted.

There was a glint in his eyes Arthur didn't recognise. Those storm blue eyes roamed over Arthur, making him squirm ever so slightly.

"We're alone, you prat." Merlin finally said.

All Arthur could manage to say was, "Oh."

Merlin laughed once, before kissing Arthur roughly. Arthur pulled his manservant on top of him as he fell back on the bed. His side throbbed in protest, he ignored it. Merlin's hands found their way under Arthur's shirt once again. Arthur could feel Merlin's heartbeat against his chest, as fast as his own.

He sat up slightly to allow his shirt to be pulled over his head. Merlin's hands wandered across Arthur's chest.

Arthur paused and waited for the door to open or for a knight to burst in.

Thankfully, this time, there were no interruptions.


End file.
